September 4, 2019
Frank Scibelli’s next concept goes back to his roots
He hopes to open Little Mama’s this year
Frank Scibelli hopes to open his newest restaurant by the end of the year. He’s going back to his roots with this concept, focusing on the kind of neighborhood Italian restaurants he frequented as a kid in New England. The new place is called Little Mama’s, and will be in the space formerly occupied by Luna’s Living Kitchen in SouthPark.
Tom Dyrness, longtime executive chef at Mama Ricotta’s, will oversee the restaurant. It will have a slightly higher price point than Mama Ricotta’s, with a more elaborate cocktail program. There will also be house-made pastas.
“If you took half of Mama’s menu — pasta and chicken and stuff — and then the other half would be like a broiler, where you’re doing broiled fish with lemon and olive oil, or broiled steak, or clams casino,” Scibelli says. ” ’70s style Italian food; that’s what I grew up on.”
A large focus of the menu will be a house cheese program. Diners will be able to see mozzarella and stracciatella being made, and on the menu will be a list of toppings guests can select from to build their own dish.
Along with Dyrness, Scibelli hired a sous chef from Italy to work on the concept. —Kristen Wile
